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From: Steve Hood
Date: 10/14/00
Time: 9:18:16 PM
Remote Name: 205.188.197.167
Hi, Theresa You raised an interesting point, and I'll take a stab at it. I am an SLP, so I can comment on two fronts: as a child growing up, and as an SLP professionally.
As a kid growing up I had a number of good friends, and acquaintenances who stuttered -- in some cases severely. I remember one kid who was sometimes teased and kidded, but really not because of the stuttering, but because he was a kid who would have been teased anyway.... He was the kid who dropped the pop fly, who goofed off, and who always reaced to being teased. I don't think stuttering was much of a factor in his being teased. I had other friends growing up, and in college, who stuttered-- and for these kids, stuttering really was not much of an issue. They were spunky, outgoing, friendly, good in sports, and involved in activities.... They had lots of morale, a good self concept, and were fun to be around.
Professionally, I have observed the same things.... What you are describing maybe atypical, but not as much as we might think. The folks who are doing well, coping, living life and achieving may not be known to us because they no longer seek therapy. They are being successful, in spite of stuttering. For them, stuttering is not a "handicap" and they do not let it become a "disability." They make decisions independent of the fact that they might stutter.
Stuttering, per se, need not be this aweful and terrible monster. Most listeners react not so much to the stuttering, but to the severity of the stuttering. Most listeners react not just to the stuttering, but to the stutterer's (PWS's) way of reacting to, and handling, and coping with the stuttering.
You asked a good question, and one that is not easily answered in an e-mail forum of interactions like we have here on ISAD. I hope others will also respond.